An every day account of a small racing yard and the highs and lows....

Friday, 1 November 2013

Another really good week for the horses. Every day we try and do something different with them to keep them interested in their work and it seems to be paying off - almost too much as Popaway is a little over enthusiastic at the moment. We have to be careful which group she goes in, as if she is with an equally exuberant horse (like Dolly) then they set each other off and it becomes a bit like the wild west. She is three quarters fit now and just wants to go that bit faster than she should, she almost needs a race to settle her. Yesterday we took Goody, Bryn and Button to the local cross country course to do some jumping. They have never jumped solid fences before and whilst the style was 'interesting' they all did really well and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We will be taking a different three every week so that they all have a go.
On Saturdays we have a dressage rider called Kirsty in to do the one's that need a bit of flat work. So far she has been working on Button, Flash, and Jess. Button to strengthen him behind the saddle where he is a bit weak being such a long horse. Flash because she is very 'forehandy' and needs to use her hind quarters more and Jess because she prefers going right handed and it would be great to balance her out so that she can race on both right and left handed tracks. Toby schooled her left handed today over the hurdle and she was brilliant, so it seems to be paying off.
Rosie, bless her cotton socks, was going beautifully in every way, she has behaved herself whilst being clipped, shod and ridden and I was just about to ring her owner, Chubb Castle to come and watch her work when this morning she was found in Subo's yard having jumped the dividing barrier. She must have got her leg caught in doing so as she was very stiff. What on earth possessed her to jump over I do not know as she has always been really settled in that yard. She really is a conundrum and every time we think we are getting somewhere with her she pulls something else out of the hat. Grrrrr!

About Me

Pauline has been race riding her own horses in point to points for 15 years and is now training with Doug. Pauline has recently got her trainers permit. They are both passionate about National Hunt racing and achieving maximum potential from their horses in the best possible way. This is why ‘Equine Fitness’ is a very exciting new business for them.
In 2006 Doug eventually plucked up the courage (it only took 7 years!) to propose to Pauline whilst they were on holiday in the Maldives and they married in the Lake District in June 2007.